Supercars – News about cool carshttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online
All the most interesting news about supercar!Mon, 19 Mar 2018 14:08:48 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.32020 Audi R8 GT spy shotshttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/2020-audi-r8-gt-spy-shots/
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 11:35:57 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19729Audi has been spotted testing what looks to be a more hardcore variant of its R8 supercar. The prototype is wearing new fascias front and rear but what's most telling are the large oval exhausts that are reminiscent of the design used on the hardcore variant of the original R8, the R8 GT. Starting at the front, we can see that the grille has been made wider...

Audi has been spotted testing what looks to be a more hardcore variant of its R8 supercar.

The prototype is wearing new fascias front and rear but what’s most telling are the large oval exhausts that are reminiscent of the design used on the hardcore variant of the original R8, the R8 GT.

Starting at the front, we can see that the grille has been made wider and flatter. There’s also a gap now between the headlights and intakes situated below, which take on a more angular shape compared to the intakes currently found on the R8. Finally, there’s the new lip spoiler and this leads to extended side skirts on the car’s flanks.

At the rear, there’s the aforementioned exhaust tips plus a new vent that spans the entirety of the fascia. It’s hard to judge, but it’s possible there are some active elements in the rear diffuser as well.

The prototype has also been fitted with a massive set of carbon-ceramic brake rotors.

The previous R8 GT also offered the most power in the R8 family, so for the new generation we’d be looking at a higher output than the R8 V10 Plus’ 610 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. The same engine in the Lamborghini Huracán makes 640 hp and 442 lb-ft in Performante guise.

Look for a debut of the R8 GT late this year or early next. It should reach showrooms as a 2020 model.

But before the R8 GT arrives, we’re expecting a new R8 V6 powered by a twin-turbocharged V-6. This model will be aimed at markets where there are steep taxes for high-displacement engines, and will likely come with the 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 fitted to the RS 4 Avant and RS 5, where it delivers 450 hp and 442 lb-ft.

Sadly, Audi execs have been hinting that there might not be a replacement for the R8 once the current car ends its run. The good news is that the Audi Sport division is cooking up an electric super sedan that could help fill the void.

]]>Mercedes-AMG Project One looks insane on the roadhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/mercedes-amg-project-one-looks-insane-road/
Fri, 16 Mar 2018 08:08:57 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19718Forget all the naysayers, Mercedes-AMG's Project One hypercar looks out of this world when you see it rolling down the road, as this video posted to YouTube confirms. And just imagine rolling in this thing knowing you have a Formula 1 engine backing you up. That's an actual F1 engine and not an F1-derived engine. In fact, it's the same engine Mercedes-AMG...

Forget all the naysayers, Mercedes-AMG’s Project One hypercar looks out of this world when you see it rolling down the road, as this video posted to YouTube confirms.

And just imagine rolling in this thing knowing you have a Formula 1 engine backing you up. That’s an actual F1 engine and not an F1- engine. In fact, it’s the same engine Mercedes-AMG F1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg scored their recent world titles in.

Unfortunately, we don’t get to hear the engine just yet as the Project One in the video gets around in electric mode only.

Rather than go the all-out-extreme route Aston Martin’s designers have taken with the rival Valkyrie hypercar, AMG’s designers wanted the Project One to approach the comfort and usability levels of one the tuner’s regular models.

And for anyone thinking the car looks too much like the McLaren F1—probably not a bad thing, really—go back and look at Mercedes’ CLK GTR. The 1990s-era homologation special also came with butterfly doors and a roof-mounted hood scoop.

The Project One is basically a race car with a slight semblance of civility. AMG thinks the car even has a chance of breaking the all-time Nürburgring record of 6:11.13. We’ll remind you that the current production car record for the ‘Ring is the 6:47.3 set by the Porsche 911 GT2 last year.

AMG hasn’t released full details yet, but we know the car will have over 1,000 horsepower from a 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 and four electric motors. The engine gets mated to an electric motor that helps send power to the rear wheels. There’s a second electric motor integrated with the turbocharger to help spin its compressor early. And then for additional power and traction there are two more electric motors powering the front wheels.

The reveal of the Project One last year at the Frankfurt auto show helped to celebrate AMG’s 50th anniversary. The car, whose actual name is yet to be revealed, is also a precursor to the new hybrid performance route the Affalterbach tuner is taking.

Just 275 will be built and all build slots have been sold. The Project One’s starting price, not that it matters much for the car’s potential buyers, is $2.8 million. The first deliveries are due in late 2018 or early next year—about the same time Aston Martin will start deliveries of the Valkyrie. The ensuing battle will be wild.

]]>McLaren 570GT MSO Black Collection is the darker side of the supercarhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/mclaren-570gt-mso-black-collection-darker-side-supercar/
Thu, 15 Mar 2018 20:08:50 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19712McLaren Special Operations is the extension of the automaker tasked with bringing extra special versions of its super machines to life. This is often done through bespoke requests made by customers, but sometimes MSO produces a limited run of vehicles designed in a spec of its choosing. We think the MSO folks have been watching "This is Spinal Tap" lately...

McLaren Special Operations is the extension of the automaker tasked with bringing extra special versions of its super machines to life. This is often done through bespoke requests made by customers, but sometimes MSO produces a limited run of vehicles designed in a spec of its choosing. We think the MSO folks have been watching “This is Spinal Tap” lately because the newest special edition is all about black. This is the McLaren 570GT MSO Black Collection, and the shapely coupe has used up all of the remaining black paint in Woking.

MSO is plucking 100 570GTs from the production line and turning them into “none-more-black” poster cars. The body is painted in Carbon Black, while a few extra bits of bodywork receive the Black Pack. That means the front and rear splitters, side skirts, and air intakes have been changed from their standard dark palladium shade and now fit far better with the moonless midnight hue found all throughout this 570GT. Further complementing the exterior style are a set of gloss black lightweight forged wheels that hide black brake calipers for the carbon ceramic brakes.

Your eyes better get used to the dark as you creep into the cabin because the darkness theme continues inside. The seats are trimmed in Jet Black semi-aniline leather, while Carbon Black Alcantara covers the center tunnel, headliner, the lower section of the instrument panel, and even surrounds the speakers. In case you forgot which division devised this dark delight, there are MSO logos on the headrests and an MSO bespoke dedication plate in the center console. Even the MSO ignition key is painted Carbon Black.

The car comes with a black-tinted panoramic roof, but it can be upgraded with an electrochromic roof with five shades of tint thanks to smart glass technology.

MSO makes its Titanium SuperSports Exhaust standard and adds a Nano Black finisher. This system reduces weight over the standard exhaust and adds 5dB to the sound. Also standard is the GT Upgrade Pack, which adds a vehicle lift system so the car doesn’t scrape over curbs, a rearview camera, a power-adjustable steering column, and a 12-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

We’re already big fans of the McLaren 570GT. This is truly an everyday supercar that perfectly blurs the line between cozy grand touring luxury and mind-warping sports car performance. While it’s nice to see such a vehicle offered in all of the options you’d find in a bag of Skittles, this MSO Black Collection version titillates the villainous side of our brains.

If you’re interested in putting this evil wonder in your garage, you should act quickly. McLaren will build just 100 examples and each wears a starting price tag of just over $250,000.

]]>No replacement planned for Audi R8 supercarhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/no-replacement-planned-audi-r8-supercar/
Thu, 15 Mar 2018 09:11:46 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19685Late last year we heard that Audi could phase out its R8 supercar after the current model ends its run. Now the automaker's R&D boss Peter Mertens has revealed that there are no plans at present for a successor. “I would say so,” Mertens told Car and Driver when asked to confirm at last week's 2018 Geneva auto show if in fact there were no...

Late last year we heard that Audi could phase out its R8 supercar after the current model ends its run.

Now the automaker’s R&D boss Peter Mertens has revealed that there are no plans at present for a successor.

“I would say so,” Mertens told when asked to confirm at last week’s 2018 Geneva auto show if in fact there were no plans at present for a successor for the R8. “I always get [my PR chief] very nervous when I start talking about that stuff.”

He then added, “Never say never; performance cars are good for Audi.”

There are two main issues the fate of the R8 hinges on. Sales only average about 65 units per month in the United States, the single biggest market, and the Audi Sport division responsible for the car is investing big in new electrified models and even an electric car. The latter was confirmed by former Audi Sport boss Stephan Winkelmann for a launch in 2020 or 2021, and is likely to utilize the platform Porsche is developing for its production Mission E.

In his interview with , Mertens confirmed that Audi Sport will support three powertrains in the future: internal combustion, plug-in hybrid and electric.

“All three concepts will have a future [at Audi Sport],” he explained. “There will be very traditional combustion-engine high-performance vehicles, pure battery-electric vehicles on the high-performance side, and our sister brand Porsche also very much proves with their plug-in hybrids that the combination of both is a fantastic answer as well.”

The current R8 still has quite a few years left in it, as it was only introduced for 2017. A turbocharged V-6 is expected to be made available later this year.

But what about the car’s platform-mate, the Lamborghini Huracán? There will definitely be a successor, and this week we learned the successor will stick with a V-10, albeit likely augmented with electrification to keep emissions low. It’s possible the Huracán’s successor will share a platform with Lamborghini’s Aventador successor, or adopt the modular sports car platform being developed by Porsche for its next-generation 911 and 718 sports cars. Stay tuned.

]]>Lamborghini Huracán successor will stick with V-10http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/lamborghini-huracan-successor-will-stick-v-10/
Wed, 14 Mar 2018 18:02:47 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19665Lamborghini R&D boss Maurizio Reggiani in January confirmed to Motor Authority that the Aventador successor will maintain a naturally aspirated V-12, albeit with some form of electrification to help get its emissions down. Now he's assured Car and Driver that the Huracán successor will maintain a V-10, which once again will be music to the ears...

Lamborghini R&D boss Maurizio Reggiani in January confirmed to that the Aventador successor will maintain a naturally aspirated V-12, albeit with some form of electrification to help get its emissions down.

Now he’s assured that the Huracán successor will maintain a V-10, which once again will be music to the ears of anyone with gasoline in their veins.

“I think in the field where the Huracán is, the effect of having two cylinders more than all the other competitors will be a big difference,” Reggiani told the magazine during the reveal of the Huracán Performante Spyder at last week’s 2018 Geneva International Motor Show.

The competitors he’s referring to are cars like the Ferrari 488 GTB and McLaren 720S, both of which come with twin-turbocharged V-8s.

However, Reggiani hinted that the Huracán successor, like the Aventador successor, will likely require electrification to get its emissions in line with the latest regulatory requirements.

“Afterward, I need some support [to meet regulatory demands], but the emotion is sound, and the reaction you have in a 10-cylinder engine you cannot have from any other kind,” he said.

In his interview with , Reggiani also said the Huracán successor will have a rear-wheel-drive option, just like the Huracán. While not a popular option, he said there remains a type of buyer that appreciates the loads of oversteer it delivers.

The Huracán successor is still quite some time off, however, as the Huracán itself only bowed in 2014. On Tuesday, Lamborghini celebrated the manufacture of the 10,000th example, a Huracán Performante coupe destined for a customer in Canada. The most popular Lamborghini to date is the Gallardo, which racked up 14,022 sales during its 10-year lifespan. At the current rate, the Huracán looks set to smash that record.

]]>McLaren COO swears its cars will continually get fasterhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/mclaren-coo-swears-cars-will-continually-get-faster/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 21:02:47 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19626Cars today are fast. Your average modern minivan could smoke your average Ferrari from the 1970s. As the standard road car has improved its performance metrics, so too have supercars. Run down a spec sheet and you'll wind up seeing numbers that will make your mind spin. According to the McLaren's Chief Operating Officer, the British company's road cars...

Cars today are . Your average modern minivan could smoke your average Ferrari from the 1970s. As the standard road car has improved its performance metrics, so too have supercars. Run down a spec sheet and you’ll wind up seeing numbers that will make your mind spin. According to the McLaren’s Chief Operating Officer, the British company’s road cars still have a lot of speed to gain as time marches forward.

His name is Dr. Jens Ludmann, and speaking to at the Geneva Motor Show, the McLaren COO bluntly said that “If you see the trend of the past, you can anticipate the trend in the future.” In other words, Ludmann is saying, looking at the previous leaps in performance, there’s a direct line to ever more speed and performance-topping figures as we roll into the future. According to Luddman, the recent improvements in areas like powertrain technology and active aerodynamics are proof that there’s always more speed to be found.

“For example, active aero, we didn’t have that in the past and now with active aero we can reach new limits,” Ludmann told . “Powertrian technology. Eventually, batteries will improve and there will be new powertrain solutions. There is so much focus now on powertrains that there will be different powertrains in the future and again, that will change the game. There will always be technology evolution which leads to better products.”

While we’ve already begun to see those advances in McLaren’s road-going production cars, most recently with the insane Senna hypercar (not to mention vehicles like the Mercedes-AMG Project One and Aston Martin Valkyrie), there are physical limits to just how fast a car can actually go. But when and how automakers will hit the upper ceiling of performance, it’s impossible to say––all we (and Dr. Ludmann) know is that we aren’t there yet.

]]>Aston Martin working on “brother of Valkyrie” to compete at LaFerrari, McLaren P1 levelhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/aston-martin-working-brother-valkyrie-compete-laferrari-mclaren-p1-level/
Tue, 13 Mar 2018 10:43:14 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19593Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer has confirmed to Autocar the development of a third mid-engine model at the British automaker. The first mid-engine model will be the Valkyrie, which starts deliveries next year. Just 175 will be built, 25 of which will be the Valkyrie AMR Pro track special. The second mid-engine model will be a more attainable car arriving...

Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer has confirmed to the development of a third mid-engine model at the British automaker.

The first mid-engine model will be the Valkyrie, which starts deliveries next year. Just 175 will be built, 25 of which will be the Valkyrie AMR Pro track special.

The second mid-engine model will be a more attainable car arriving around 2020 to challenge the likes of the Ferrari 488 GTB and McLaren 720S. It’s one of the seven core cars in Aston Martin’s Second Century plan, meaning it will become a permanent fixture in the automaker’s lineup.

The third mid-engine model, referred to by insiders as the “brother of the Valkyrie,” is expected to arrive around 2021 and have a price tag in excess of $1 million. It will likely be one of Aston Martin’s special series models; Aston Martin plans to launch two special series models each year as part of the Second Century plan.

“We have more than one mid-engined project underway, more than two if you count the Valkyrie,” Palmer confirmed to . “This new project will draw on all the know-how we’ve taken from the Valkyrie, as well as some of its visual identity and engineering capability, and bring it to a new sector of the market.”

The sector he’s referring to is where cars like the Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1 sit, i.e. above the level of more mainstream supercars like the 488 GTB and 720S but below the stratospheric level of the Valkyrie and rival Mercedes-AMG Project One.

And as is the case with the Valkyrie, development will likely be handled with the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Aston Martin is the title sponsor of the team and is constructing the Advanced Performance Center at the team’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom. Here, the two organizations will work together to develop cars and other products leveraging F1 technology.

All of this is happening in parallel with Aston Martin’s regular cars, which in addition to the DB11 and Vantage will soon include a new Vanquish and DBX SUV and eventually two electric cars to serve in a revived Lagonda ultra-luxury brand. It’s definitely exciting times ahead at the British automaker.

]]>Aston Martin mid-engine supercar to be hybrid, developed with Red Bull Racinghttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/aston-martin-mid-engine-supercar-hybrid-developed-red-bull-racing/
Fri, 09 Mar 2018 20:10:58 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19495Aston Martin is poised to launch a mid-engine hybrid supercar fit to battle the Ferrari 488, and Red Bull Racing, its Formula One partner, is on board for development. The company's CEO told Motoring in a report published Friday that the mid-engine supercar will house plenty of Valkyrie influence, but the car won't be nearly as extreme. He confirmed 130...

Aston Martin is poised to launch a mid-engine hybrid supercar fit to battle the Ferrari 488, and Red Bull Racing, its Formula One partner, is on board for development.

The company’s CEO told in a report published Friday that the mid-engine supercar will house plenty of Valkyrie influence, but the car won’t be nearly as extreme. He confirmed 130 engineers and designers will be work inside Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s U.K. headquarters to develop the forthcoming hybrid supercar.

The unnamed supercar will be radically different from any Aston Martin that’s come before it. The report said the car will not feature the Vantage’s bonded-aluminum platform, but instead feature a new carbon-fiber monocoque with aluminum sub-frames.

Palmer wouldn’t discuss powertrain details, but he ruled out a V-12 engine for the hybrid setup. A Mercedes-AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine is the likeliest candidate. The engine could boast Mercedes-Benz’s 48-volt mild-hybrid system.

The CEO owed the forthcoming supercar’s existence to the Valkyrie hypercar and said the main reason Aston Martin will produce the Valkyrie is to “prepare the ground for the acceptance of a Ferrari 488 competitor.”

Aston Martin has worked to push itself into a handful of new territories as of recent. The company showed the Lagonda Vision concept at Monday’s Geneva motor show to preview an ultra-luxurious Lagonda electric-car brand—and even found itself in a war of words with Rolls-Royce over the brand’s premium intentions.

Aston Martin also revealed the Valkyrie AMR Pro at the Geneva show, a track-only version of the forthcoming hypercar, which will be capable of speeds in excess of 225 mph.

]]>New Stratos debuts at 2018 Geneva auto showhttp://newsaboutcoolcars.online/new-stratos-debuts-2018-geneva-auto-show/
Fri, 09 Mar 2018 16:53:32 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19485First unveiled in 2010, and in stunning Alitalia livery no less, the New Stratos brought one of the most iconic rally car designs into the modern era. The project was the dream of Michael Stoschek, a German billionaire with a love of rally cars of the original Statos' era. He commissioned Pininfarina to build it, which the Italian design house did using the...

First unveiled in 2010, and in stunning Alitalia livery no less, the New Stratos brought one of the most iconic rally car designs into the modern era.

The project was the dream of Michael Stoschek, a German billionaire with a love of rally cars of the original Statos’ era. He commissioned Pininfarina to build it, which the Italian design house did using the shortened underpinnings of a Ferrari F430 Scuderia.

With Stoschek’s permission, Pininfarina was set to build a small run but Ferrari blocked it from happening. Now, eight years on, there’s a company willing to step in where Pininfarina left off.

The company is Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) run by Paolo Garella, who once worked for Pininfarina and was closely involved in the development of the New Stratos. This experience will ensure that his new company MAT will guarantee the respect and quality of the original built.

MAT showed up to this week’s 2018 Geneva International Motor Show with Stoschek’s original New Statos. The company plans to build 25 additional examples and customers will be able to choose whether they want road, rally or “Safari” off-road versions.

The car isn’t cheap. Customers will need to source their own F430 Scuderia and then pay $617,000 on top for the conversion, which MAT is handling at its facility in Turin, Italy. The facility is where MAT is also building the SCG003 for Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and the Intensa Emozione for Apollo.

Starting with the aluminum chassis of the F430 Scuderia, around 8.0 inches is taken out, mostly from the wheelbase. The resulting length is 164.6 inches. A steel roll cage is then installed and a body made entirely from carbon fiber built around it. The dry weight of the car is 2,750 pounds, with the weight ratio split 44/56 front-to-rear.

Power comes from the F430 Scuderia’s 4.3-liter V-8, which in stock form delivers 523 horsepower and 585 pound-feet of torque. MAT can boost this to around 600 hp should the customer desire, however. Drive is to the rear wheels only, via a 6-speed sequential transmission.

The car is also fitted with adjustable dampers and Eibach springs, carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes, and 19-inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2. The tires measure a chunky 305/30 at the rear.

Interestingly, the headlights are a custom design but the taillights are borrowed from a Ferrari 599.

]]>AMG boss thinks Project One will break all-time Nürburgring record of 6:11.13http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/amg-boss-thinks-project-one-will-break-time-nurburgring-record-611-13/
Fri, 09 Mar 2018 15:20:51 +0000http://newsaboutcoolcars.online/?p=19482The upcoming Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar is without question going to be fast: it's a street-legal car with a Formula 1 race car's powertrain. Now it seems the Project One might set a new bar for defining fast: destroying the all-time Nürburgring lap record. AMG boss Tobias Moers told Autocar that "it's reasonable to speculate" the brand's new...

The upcoming Mercedes-AMG Project One hypercar is without question going to be fast: it’s a street-legal car with a Formula 1 race car’s powertrain.

Now it seems the Project One might set a new bar for defining fast: destroying the all-time Nürburgring lap record.

AMG boss Tobias Moers told that “it’s reasonable to speculate” the brand’s new hypercar would aim to beat the all-time ‘Ring lap record.

That record in question was 6 minutes and 11.13 seconds set in 1983 by a Porsche 956 race car with Stefan Bellof behind the wheel.

The current lap record for a street-legal car is the 6:43.22 set last year by the McLaren P1 LM. And the record for production cars is the 6:47.3 set by Porsche 911 GT2 RS, also set last year.

Mercedes-AMG hasn’t released full details in regards to the Project One’s powertrain, but it will have over 1,000 horsepower from a 1.6-liter turbocharged V-6 and four electric motors. The engine is mated to an electric motor that helps send power to the rear wheels. There’s a second electric motor integrated with the turbocharger setup to help spin the compressor. And then for additional power and traction there are two more electric motors powering the front wheels.

Due to its sleek body and active aerodynamics, the Project One should produce around 1,500 pounds of downforce at speed, which will aid in its quest to race around the ‘Ring.

Whether the Project One can become the world’s fastest car around the ‘Ring is yet to be seen, but if accomplished, it will be quite a feat considering it’s a production car.

The Project One is expected to be revealed in production form later this year. AMG will also reveal the name of the car at the reveal.